Loading machine



Feb. 8, 1938. F. CARTLIDGE LOADING MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1935 Patented F eb. 8, 1938 PATENT OFFICE LOADING Frank Cartlidge, Chicago,

MACHINE Ill., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Illinois Application November 9, 1935, Serial No. 49,004

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in loading machines of the type adapted to gather and load loose material, such as coal, from the ground and more particularly to gathering heads including gathering chains for initially picking up the loose material and loading it on a flight conveyer for discharge into a mine car or the like.

More specifically, the present invention is an improvement in the form of gathering head disclosed in my prior application bearing Serial No. 705,486, filed January 6, 1934 now Patent 2,045,008.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a more efficient loading head of the character described, especially designed to handle relatively large lumps of coal without crushing. In carrying out my invention, Iprovide a relatively deep centrally disposed channel below the plane of movement of the gathering elements and extending rearwardly from the front gathering lip to the point where the material is picked up by the elevating conveyer. The arrangement is such that the gathering elements operate more effectively in gathering the larger lumps of loose material, while the fines tend to be progressed more slowly along the channel, and in effect form a cushion along or through which the larger lumps may be propelled and delivered to the elevating conveyer so as to minimize breaking or crushing of said larger lumps.

My invention may be more clearly understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

;5 Figure 1 is a plan view of a gathering head embodying the features of my present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail section taken on line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail section taken on line of Figure 2.

Referring now in particular to the details shown in the drawing, the gathering and loading element is mounted at the forward end of an in- 5 clined conveyer frame I0, which, as usual, is carried at the forward end of a mobile truck having suitable power operating and control devices, which need not be disclosed or described in detail herein, as the present invention resides only in the construction and arrangement of the gathering and loading element itself.

The inclined conveyer frame I0 has a troughlike conveyer section II and a forward gathering section I2 connected thereto in a suitable manner, which forward section has two laterally extending aprons I3 at opposite sides of the conveyer trough section and extending downwardly in an inclined plane so that the forward ends of said aprons are adapted to engage the ground.

A plate I5 forms the bottom of the conveyer 5 section II, which plate extends forwardly in an inclined plane, which herein is substantially parallel with, but substantially below, the upper surfaces of the aprons I3 at all points.

The moving part of the conveyer consists of a 1 pair of parallel-spaced chains I6, having material engaging cross members or flights I I carried therebetween at intervals. The lower stretch of the chains extends downwardly beneath the plate I5, over idler rollers I9 and under drive 15 sprockets 20 keyed on a transverse shaft 2! for driving the latter shaft. The chains are then trained around rollers or sprockets I8 on shaft I8a immediately forward of the front margin of the conveyer bottom plate I5, and move upward- 20 ly over the bottom plate on guide rails 22 disposed along opposite sides of said plate.

Immediately in front of the rollers I8 over which the conveyer chains are trained, is a curved plate 23, substantially concentric with 25 the sprockets I8, and terminating at its upper edge at a relatively low inclined plate 25 forming the bottom of a U-shaped channel between the forward parts of the aprons I3. A bottom plate 24 joins the lower edges of the curved plate 30 23 and inclined plate 25. The side walls 26 of said channel extend upwardly to join the inner edges of said aprons. The forward edge of the channel terminates in a notched opening be tween the front edge of the aprons, and said upright side walls 26 are also continued forwardly in downwardly inclined surfaces 26a at opposite sides of this notched portion, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The gathering means consists of a pair of endless chains 21 in chain guides 28, each mounted on one of the aprons I3 and extending along opposite sides of the forward end of the conveyer and the channel. Said chains have a plurality of gathering arms 29 carried thereby, said arms being of sufficient length to swing in a path extending forwardly beyond their respective aprons I3, as shown in Figure 2. The gathering chains are suitably driven, as by drive sprockets 30 at their upper turning points, in the form shown said sprockets being carried on shaft 3| having beveled gears 32 at their lower ends meshed with gears 33 on the transverse shaft 2|. As previously explained, the sprockets 20 on the latter shaft are engaged by the conveyer chains I 6, which in turn are driven in the usual manner from the upper end of the conveyer frame.

From the above description, it will now be un- I and the path' of the gathering arms is substantially above tine inclined plate at all points, whereas in prior structures of this characten'an inclined plate extended upwardly to a pointiin substantially the same plane as that of the aprons it, that is to say, quite close to the path of movement of the gathering arms. TiAccordingly, in the prior constructions. the loose material first had to be elevated along'this plate a substantial distance before it was deposited on the elevating conveyer. Moreover, the gathering arms would have a greater tendency to engage directly the smaller lumps and fines at the bottom ofthe stream, whereas the larger lumps tend to "ride over the gathering arms. With the improved construction the loose material is moved to the elevating conveyer in a more' direct, gradually inclined path, and the gathering arms tend to engage the larger lumps more directly. Furthermore, the smaller lumps and fines tend to fill the channel below the path of the arms, and as the Whole gathering head is pushed forwardly into the pile of loose material during the usual'loading operation, the fines form in ei'I'ect a cushion over which the larger lumps may bemoved with much less danger of crushing or'breaking. As a result, I find that lump coal is loaded more efficiently, and with less breakage, than is possible with'earlier forms of gathering heads.

While have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, will be'understood that the construction and arrangement of the various parts may be changed.

or altered without departing from. the spirit and scope thereof; Furthermore, I do net wish to be construed as limiting myself to the'precise construction illustrated, excepting as it may be limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: I 1 1. In a loading machine, a gathering and load-i ing element comprising an inclined endless conveyer, gathering means extending forwardly of said inclined conveyer and on opposite sides thereof, said gathering means moving in a plane spaced substantially above said conveyer, and an apron disposed forwardly of the front end of said inclined conveyer, the forward end of said apron being adapted to engage the ground, and the rearmo'st or delivery edge thereof being disposed to transfer material directly upon said endless conveyer, and the intermediate portion of said apron being below the inclined plane including said front end and said deiivery edge of said apron, so as to form an open channel substantially below the path of movement of said gathering means. 2

2. In a loading machine, a gathering and loading element including an apron ha ing a longitudinally disposed channel formed therein and terminating in a lip adjacent its jforward fend, a pair of laterally spaced gathering devices disposed above said apron and extending along opposite sides of said channel and moving in an inclined plane spaced substantially above said channel, and with their forward ends adapted to engage the ground in front of said channel lip, and an inclined endless conveyer having its forward end forming a continuation of said channel in substantially the same plane as the plane of the bottom of said channel.

3. In a loading machine, a gathering and loading element comprising an inclined endless conveyer, an apron mounted on each side of said conveyer a substantial'distance thereabove and extending therealong beyond the forward end thereoftto the ground, a gathering device mounted on each of said aprons and extending therealong, each of said gathering devices including an ore bitally'guided endless chain having laterally pro: jecting gathering arms, and the space between said aprons forming an open channel substantially below the path of movement of said gathering arms and inclined upwardly from the ground in substantially the same plane as said conveyer.

FRANK CARTLIDGE 

